Tube closure device



July 5, 1966 P. JELLESEN TUBE CLOSURE DEVICE Filed Sept. 8, 1964 pINVENTOR ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,259,282 TUBE CLOSURE DEVMZEPoul Jellesen, Kongensgate 1t), Sandefiortl, Norway Filed Sept. 8, 1964,Ser. No. 394,733 2 Claims. (Cl. 222521) The present invention relates toa tube closure device of the type which, upon the turning of the tubecap is adapted to be screwed open for discharge of the tubes contentswithout the cap being completely displaced.

Several different types of such tube closures are known and used, wherethe actual tube cap is disposed so that it may not be completelydisplaced and lost. Amongst other ways this is attained by the tube capand the cylindrical tube-shaped member, onto which the tube cap isscrewed, being provided with oppositely facing conical rings whoseembodiment and size are of such that permit the cap to be comparativelyeasily screwed on but which will form an effective stopper when it isscrewed off, since the parallel right-angled surfaces of the rings meetand obstruct further displacement. Thus in this case these oppositelyfacing conical rings serve only to obstruct the complete displacement ofthe cap. A significant disadvantage of the previously known tube cap ofthis type is that on re-screwing the tube cap in order to close thetube, the upper volume in the upper portion of the tube closure isreduced so that in many cases the contents of the tube are pressed outthrough the discharge orifice until this is closed and further, willpossibly be pressed down into the threaded portion of the tube cap andout at the lower edge of the tube cap.

The object of the invention is to eliminate this advantage in a simpleand easy way and to retain the advantages of a cap that cannot becompletely displaced and perhaps st.

According to the invention this is obtained by disposing the previouslyknown oppositely facing conical rings, adapted to prevent the completedisplacement of the tube cap, so that besides acting as an obstructionthey also eflect a seal between the discharging substance in the uppercavity of the tube cap and the threaded portion in the lower part of thetube cap. This is attained thereby that the tube closure, comprising aninner tube shaped member and a tube cap adapted to be screwed down ontosaid tube shaped member, are provided with oppositely facing conicalshaped rings where the ring located in the interior of the tube cap isdisposed so that it bears against and seals a cylindrical portion on thetube-shaped member, and further that there is disposed above thecylindrical portion on the tube-shaped member a conical shaped ringwhich, when the tube cap is screwed outwardly on the tube shaped member,bears against the conical ring disposed in the tube cap and obstructsfurther displacement.

By disposing the combined sealing and stopping means consisting of theconical rings, together with the cylindrical shaped portion, above thethreaded portion on the tube-shaped member on which the tube cap isscrewed, the contents of the tube are prevented, by the conical ringwhich bears against and seals the cylindrical portion, from coming intocontact with the threaded portion and thus involving such disadvantagesas congealing of the substance, so that the tube cap cannot be screwed,or that the substance follows the threads downwards and escapes from theunderside of the tube cap. A further effect obtained by the sealingconical ring being disposed on the interior of the tube cap, is that theupper volume in the tube cap is not reduced substantially during theclosing operation and therefore does not cause the substance to beforced out through the discharge orifice or down through the fastening.

3,259,282 Patented July 5, 1966 The invention thus comprises a tubeclosure of the type which, upon the turning of the tube cap is adaptedto be screwed open for discharge of the tubes contents, without the capbeing completely displaced, which tube closure comprises a tube caphaving a central conical cavity where the surface of the inner walls isparallel with the surface of the outer walls and which terminates in acentral aperture in the top of the tube cap, onto which tube cap isscrewed a cylindrical tube-shaped member having a lower part adapted tobe pushed over the neck of the tube and fastened to this, and whoseupper part, shaped as a truncated cone, fits into the central apertureof the tube cap, and where the tube-shaped members external surface andthe tube caps internal surface are formed with oppositely facing conicalrings Whose embodiment and size are of the type which permit the tubecap to be comparatively easily screwed on but which will form aneffective stopper against complete displacement, since the ringsparallel surfaces meet, and where the tube-shaped member below itsconical ring includes a portion having a cylindrical shape where thecharacterization is that the said cylindrical portions external diameteris equal to or slightly larger than the smallest diameter in the conicalring in the tube cap and considerably smaller than the largest diameteron the conical ring on the tube-shaped body, and that the oppositelyfacing conical rings together with the cylindrical portion on thetube-shaped member are disposed above the threaded portion on thetube-shaped member. A further feature is that the internal cylinder ofthe tube-shaped body is provided with threads applied with glue forattachment to already existing tubes. A third feature is that the tubecap is made of a suitable pliable material while the tube body, on theother hand, is made of a strong hard material. The invention is furtherdescribed in the following, with reference to the drawing, which shows apreferred embodiment and where FIG. 1 shows a section through the tubecap when closed.

H6. 2 shows a section through the tube cap when open.

FIG. 3 shows a section through the closure device, and

FIG. 4 shows a section through the tube-shaped member and the tube neck.

The tube-shaped member shown on the drawing, having external threads andone end shaped as a truncated cone, is designated as 1, the tube closureas 2, the cylindrical channel in the tube-shaped member as 3.

The tube-shaped member 1 is preferably made of a hard plastic materialin a continuous piece and with external threads 7 together with aninternal cylindrical channel 3. The tip portion of the member 1 in theform of a truncated conical plug 4 has a conical surface 5 engageablewith the surfaces 5a of the central aperture of the tube cap 2. The tipportion 4 is provided with apertures 6 for the discharge of thesubstance into the outer portion of the cap 2 and through the dischargeaperture thereof. The tubular member 1 is provided with external threads7 which extend to a cylindrical surface 8 thereof, which in turnterminates with a conical ring or flange 9 having an outer edge 10located inwardly of the inside wall of the cap 2 and outwardly of thecylindrical portion 8. The underside of the conically-shaped ring 9 isat a right angle to the surface of the cylindrical portion 8.

The tube-shaped member 1 is fastened to the tube 11 in a suitable way,for instance by the tube neck 12 during the manufacture of the tubes,being pressed up into the cylindrical channel 3, the internal walls ofwhich are provided with grooves so that the tube-shaped member will notwork itself loose and follow the tube cap 2 around when this is openedor closed. Further the tube-shaped member 1, having a tube cap alreadyscrewed on, may be pressed down over the smooth finished tube neck andfastened to this.

In FIG. 4 is shown a modification where the cylinder 3 is provided withinternal threads 16, at its lowest end, and accordingly may be screwedonto the tube neck and joined to this by means of glue or the like.

The tube cap 2 is preferably made of a soft plastic material. From thebottom and upwardly it is provided with internal threads 7a whichco-operate with the threads '7 on the tube-shaped member 1. Above thethreads 7a the internal walls of the tube cap 2 are formed as one withthe conical ring 13 of the wall which on the upper side, forms a surface14 right-angled to the surface of the cylindrical portion 8. The underside forms a sharp angle with the cylindrical surface 8, so that thetube cap 2 preferably glides easily over the conical ring 9 on thetube-shaped member 1, when screwing on, while it acts as an effectivestopper when screwing otf, since the underside of the ring 9 and theupper side of the ring 13 will bear against each other and act as acombined stopper and sealing device thus preventing the tubes substancefrom escaping down to the threads 7 and 7a.

The tube cap 2 is centrally provided with a slightly upwardly inclinedaperture 15 having its largest area in towards the tube.

The aperture 15 corresponds to the truncated cone 4 which is formed asone with the tube-shaped member 1 and is a part of this.

The smallest internal diameter on the conical ring 13 shall have thesame size as the external diameter on the cylindrical portion 8.

FIG. 1 shows the tube cap on the closed tube where the cone surface onthe truncated cone 4 and the tube caps aperture 15 are pressed againsteach other, and where the tube caps internal ring 13 is pushed down apart of the way along the cylindrical portion 8.

In FIG. 2 is shown the tube cap on the open tube, here may be seen forexample how the two rings 9 and 13 bear on and seal each other,simultaneously preventing the tube cap from being completely displaced.

FIG. 4 shows how the tube-shaped member 1 is pressed down over the tubeneck, or conversely that the tube neck is pressed up into the internalcylindrical channel 3.

I claim:

1. A container tube closure device of the type including an externallythreaded tubular member, the lower portion of which is adapted to befastened to the outlet of the tube container and an internally-threadedcap cooperating with said tubular member and which is adapted to bescrewed open for discharge of the contents of the tube container withoutthe cap being completely removed, said cap having an internal cavityabove its threads terminating in a central aperture at the top, saidtubular member having a plug at its upper end adapted to fit in andclose said aperture when the cap is screwed down on the tubular member,the upper portion of said tubular member also including aperturesopening out below the plug into the internal cavity in the cap, saidtubular member being provided with a longitudinally-extendingcylindrical outer surface between its external threads and the aperturesin its upper portion, an integral ring on said tubular member below saidapertures at the upper portion of said cylin drical surface projectingoutwardly into the internal cavity in the cap and having alaterally-extending undersurface extending at right angles to saidcylindrical surface, an integral inwardly-projecting ring in said capabove its threads having an upper surface parallel to the undersurfaceof the outwardly-projecting ring on the tubular member, saidinwardly-projecting ring in the cap having an inner edge engaging andsealing against the cylindrical surface of the tubular member to preventthe contents of the container tube from entering the threads of the capor those of the tubular member and being movable along said cylindricalsurface when the cap is screwed up or down on the tubular member, theupper and under surfaces of said inwardly and said outwardly-projectingrings being adapted to snap over each other upon screwing the cap on thetubular member and to provide a stop preventing removal of the cap whenscrewed open for discharge of the contents of the tube container, themaximum diameter of said outwardly-projecting ring being substantiallysmaller than the diameter of the portion of the internal cavity of thecap into which it projects, the arrangement of the inwardly-projectingring being such that the volume of said internal cavity thereabove inthe cap is not substantially reduced during the closing of the cap whenit is screwed down.

2. A closure device according to claim 1, characterized in that the capis made of pliable material, while the tubular member on the other handis made of a hard and strong material, whereby sealing and assembly ofthe tubular member and cap are facilitated.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,162,092 6/1939Lundgren 2225l3 2,582,224 1/1952 Boadway 22252l 2,778,547 1/1957 Atterby222-553 2,868,422 1/1959 Feller et al. 222-521 3,155,294 11/1964Waldherr 222-52l RAPHAEL M. LUPO, Primary Examiner.

EVERETT W. KIRBY, LOUIS I. DEMBO, Examiners.

S. H. TOLLBERG, Assistant Examiner.

1. A CONTAINER TUBE CLOSURE DEVICE OF THE TYPE INCLUDING AN EXTERNALLYTHREADED TUBULAR MEMBER, THE LOWER PORTION OF WHICH IS ADAPTED TO BEFASTENED TO THE OUTLET OF THE TUBE CONTAINER AND AN INTERNALLY-THREADEDCAP COOPERATING WITH SAID TUBULAR MEMBER AND WHICH IS ADAPTED TO BESCREWED OPEN FOR DISCHARGE OF THE CONTENTS OF THE TUBE CONTAINER WITHOUTTHE CAP BEING COMPLETELY REMOVED, SAID CAP HAVING AN INTERNAL CAVITYABOVE ITS THREADS TERMINATING IN A CENTRAL APERTURE AT THE TOP, SAIDTUBULAR MEMBER HAVING A PLUG AT ITS UPPER END ADAPTED TO FIT IN A CLOSESAID APERTURE WHEN THE CAP IS SCREWED DOWN ON THE TUBULAR MEMBER, THEUPPER PORTION OF SIAD TUBULAR MEMBER ALSO INCLUDING APERTURES OPENINGOUT BELOW THE PLUG INTO THE INTERNAL CAVITY IN THE CAP, SAID TUBULARMEMBER BEING PROVIDED WITH A LONGITUDINALLY-EXTENDING CYLINDRICAL OUTERSURFACE BETWEEN ITS EXTERNAL THREADS AND THE APERTURES IN ITS UPPERPORTION, AND INTEGRAL RING ON SAID TUBULAR MEMBER BELOW SAID APERTURESAT THE UPPER PORTION OF SAID CYLINDRICAL SURFACE PROJECTING OUTWARDLYINTO THE INTERNAL CAVITY IN THE CAP AND HAVING A LATERALLY-EXTENDINGUNDERSURFACE EXTENDING AT RIGHT ANGLES TO SAID CYLINDRICAL SURFACE, ANINTEGRAL INWARDLY-PROJECTING RING IN SAID CAP ABOVE ITS THREADS HAVINGAN UPPER SURFACE PARALLEL TO THE UNDERSURFACE OF THEOUTWARDLY-PROJECTING RING ON THE TUBULAR MEMBER, SAIDINWARDLY-PROJECTING RING IN THE CAP HAVING AN INNER EDGE ENGAGING ANDSEALNG AGAINST THE CYLINDRICAL SURFACE OF THE TUBULAR MEMBER TO PREVENTTHE CONTENTS OF THE CONTAINER TUBE FROM ENTERING THE THREADS OF THE CAPOR THOSE OF THE TUBULAR MEMBER AND BEING MOVABLE ALONG SAID CYLINDRICALSURFACE WHEN THE CAP IS SCREWED UP OR DOWN ON THE TUBULAR MEMBER, THEUPPER AND UNDER SURFACES OF SAID INWARDLY AND SAID OUTWARDLY-PROJECTINGRINGS BEING ADAPTED TO SNAP OVER EACH OTHER UPON SCREWING THE CAP ON THETUBULAR MEMBER AND TO PROVIDE A STOP PREVENTING REMOVAL OF THE CAP WHENSCRWED OPEN FOR DISCHARGE OF THE CONTENTS OF THE TUBE CONTAINER, THEMAXIMUM DIAMETER OF SAID OUTWARDLY-PROJECTING RING BEING SUBSTANTIALLYSMALLER THAN THE DIAMETER OF THE PORTION OF THE INTERNAL CAVITY OF THECAP INTO WHICH IT PROJECTS, THE ARRANGEMENT OF THE INWARDLY-PROJECTINGRING BEING SUCH THE THE VOLUME OF SAID INTERNAL CAVITY THEREABOVE IN THECAP IS NOT SUBSTANTIALLY REDUCED DURING THE CLOSING OF THE CAP WHEN ITIS SCREWED DOWN.